Workshop on Best Practices for Studies of Diet and the Intestinal Microbiome

Event Details

Background

Many studies of the intestinal microbiome, whether in vitro, in animal models, or in humans report only minimal information on dietary components even though there is substantial evidence that diet modulates composition of the microbiota. Although many aspects of microbiome studies show improved quality control over time, this has not always extended to diet.

Meeting Objectives

The purpose of this workshop is to improve rigor and reproducibility in research on the colonic microbiome, identify important dietary information that should be reported and parameters to consider in design of studies, particularly for clinical studies on diet and the intestinal microbiome. A summary for the research community will be published in a peer-reviewed journal.

General Discussion: identification of critical dietary issues for design and reporting, terminology (e.g., fiber, prebiotics), research gaps that should be addressed in all studies of diet and gut microbiome, any issues remaining from previous discussions. Challenges in relating models to human situation.